Evangelism Jesus Style: How Did Jesus Really Do It?

Letting folks decide for themselves.

I've always been challenged by what Jesus said about evangelism and salvation: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them," [John 6.44]. To me this is a powerful principle and in fact the key to successful evangelism in the eyes of the Father. It changed the way I see ministry. Now I understand why Jesus never did what churches today do--especially church denominations that are hellbent on building their own empires and establishing franchises everywhere.

Unless the Father draws a person to Christ, that person will never come to him. Sure, you can make people come to your church and come to the alter to "come" and accept Christ into their lives. They can even stay faithful in your church and become active members there till they die. But the fact remains that it wasn't the Father how drew them--it was you. You and your active church workers.

How Man's Religions Do It

We're all mandated to share the Gospel to everyone, but we are never mandated to "draw" them to Christ or to our churches. Sharing and drawing are two different things. Here's what I mean by we ourselves drawing people to Jesus or to the church:

• Following up people regularly and even pestering them so that eventually they join our church. We never see Jesus or his disciples "following up" anyone to join them.
• Gathering people by truckloads to your church. I've seen how churches pick up people to church in church vehicles and dropping them off later to their homes every Sunday or church meetings. It's impressive to look at but Jesus nor the Acts church never did that. They always relied on the Father and His Spirit "drawing" people to him.
• Joining new or backsliding members in the choir or worship team to "encourage" them. Worship ministry should never be treated as playground for childish and self-centered people. Encourage them in bible studies.
• Putting new or spoiled-brat members who are givers in church position. 

Needless to say, Jesus and the Acts church never did any of this. They relied on the Father and His Spirit to draw people to them and to grow them in Christ. But commercialized churches see this as a slow way of building numbers so they resorted instead to marketing methods. They go house to house knocking on doors, forcing the Gospel to people, inviting them over and over to church till they tire of it all and eventually go and later become members--exactly the same way other religions and cult groups do it. Jesus never did it that way--he was unique.

How Jesus Did It

Jesus was different--and his ways are still different today. So different, in fact, that even Christian churches find it odd. Jesus just walked around with his disciples and people came to him. He didn't need to advertise, campaign or promote himself. Absolutely no gimmicks. I've seen how ministries today mimic worldly rock stars and concerts just to gather people. How they advertise and "market" their big meetings. And yet, the world is not turned upside down. They just prove how the church also has what the world boasts of. All they get is added membership, a bigger corporation.

With Jesus, the crowd just came and things just happened. It was really the Father drawing people and moving in his ministry. Why don't we have this today in churches, when the fact is, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever? 

What made the multitudes come? The Father moved through signs and wonders while Jesus preached the solid truth in the Gospel without compromise. Second, Jesus lived out what he preached--and I mean, people really saw how Jesus gave up everything for the Father and lived out a radically simple life--unlike the rich and sophisticated Pharisees. Some ministers today live like politicians and showbiz people after getting popular and enlarging their ministries. 

Jesus nor his disciples didn't go house to house or invited people and followed them up. He fed the 5,000 and then the 4,000 and sent them home without saying, "Come back again next Sunday, same time and place," nor did they get people's names and addresses for visitation and follow up.

In fact, Jesus sometimes dissuaded them from coming back. "Foxes have holes and birds have nests but the Son of Man has no pillow to lay his head on. Let the dead bury their own dead. No one who puts his hands to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom  of God. Go back to your family and tell them what God has done for you."

One thing about Christ, he was not after crowds or multitudes. He didn't care if only 2 or 3 were left to gather in His Name. He wanted those who had ears to hear, those who had hearts to really listen and be changed radically--not just to have a new church and be nice to people. No wonder, Jesus also said: "Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me, [John 6.45]. Those who get genuinely saved are those who heard from the Father and learned as we preach or share the Word. These are those who see the Narrow Road to Life and choose to take it for life. 

To target these people, you have to let the Father move in their lives. You have to let them come after you (Jesus never pursued after people), and not follow them up. If they don't come or come back, going after them won't amount to anything. Human effort is always opposed to God effort. These people will just later become unrepentant stumbling blocks in church, making many people stumble. It should be the Father drawing people to you.

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